Feathers
by Akktri
Summary: Teela discovers the secrets of Castle Greyskull...and herself.
1. Chapter 1: Green Feathers

I started finding feathers in my bed after my first period. Father said a parrot got in the window.

He swept them away when I wasn't looking. They were green, and at first, because Duncan took them away so fast, I thought it was our pet tiger Cringer's hair. Cringer has green fur, and is always visiting me, despite how his hairy coat gives my skin a rash and makes my nose start running whenever I get near it, or when the big lug jumps into bed with me during a scary thunderstorm.

I didn't see the things all the time, so Duncan was quick to give an explanation for each incident. He was "Testing out a new bird feeder around my window." "The Sorceress was watching me." "Zoar the falcon was watching me and she sometimes molts green feathers." Etcetera. It was always something.

I accepted the stories unquestioningly, just as I had accepted the stories about He-Man.

Often, I made special trips to the Sorceress, asking her if she were okay, as she was molting an awful lot, but she seemed to have no clue as to what I was talking about. Father said not to press the matter, she was very sensitive about it. Then the feathers disappeared again.

My home is a planet called Eternia, billions of light years from Earth. When you've lived for twenty years in this bizarre place, you get used to things like magic, talking green tigers, and evil skeleton men. There's a musclebound man with a sword, a flying creature shrouded in a robe and a widebrim hat, and a magical witch that turns into a bird and lives in a giant green castle in the shape of a skull. There's even a man made of moss. Can you blame me for believing all the weird stories I've been told?

It was only a month after my twenty first birthday that I really started to question things.

I live in Castle Eternia, a big golden structure that simultaneously bears the mark of ancient times and the most advanced technology of our day. We got old suits of armor, classic furniture, and magical tapestries dating back hundreds, sometimes thousands of years, but we've also got a building with walls made of an advanced gold-steel alloy, energy efficient temperature controls, and robotic floor cleaners.

It's a heavenly place. I get to stay here because my father Duncan is the royal armorer and captain of the guard. A lot of Eternians would kill to live here.

My bedroom had the trappings of a princess, a big four poster bed with the finest silk covering, a wardrobe stocked with a variety of fine outfits, had I someone to impress, a large landscape painting with horses and a portrait of me and the royal family when I was eight, and Cringer was a kitten that could be satisfied with a handful of table scraps.

I also had a number of trinkets on display from my various adventures, ancient female warrior statues, the weapons and shield of heroes (many of them cracked, chipped, or otherwise broken from their epic battles), and my own personal shower. There's even been talk of magical or electronic entertainment systems, but we get enough excitement just trying to live in this place.

The shower is one of Dad's advanced inventions, generating its own soap with coal and oil and washing it off with a timer. It hasn't always worked, but over time he's perfected it. One of his better ideas, really, and simply enough for any Eternian plumber to fix when he's not there. The walls are a glistening white marble, cleaned by servants twice a week, a foreign object in the drain, therefore, is rather hard to miss, especially of such a garishly bright color.

It was in that shower, at age twenty one, that I first started to question the stories I kept getting told.

I had just finished washing my orange hair and the rest of me when I noticed the green, purple and gold feathers clumping around the drain. It begged the question: Why would parrots be in the plumbing system? Was this the Sorceress? Why was the Sorceress watching me in the shower? What gives? Were her intentions less than noble?

There were other times that things like this had happened. I'd found feathers in between my sheets before. Father said the Sorceress had climbed into my bed and held me while I slept.

I mean, _it _was_ possible,_ but a little strange. Father excused this by saying she cared for me a great deal. That was as far as he went with it. Very odd.

In a way, it made me happy, as I really didn't know my mother. I figured the Sorceress had just adopted me. Honestly, I can't say I never felt loved. At the time, I didn't question it.

I finished my shower and got dressed, stuffing the feathers into my bikini top so they wouldn't be taken. Eternia's climate was jungle-like, so people generally didn't wear that much, especially if they belonged to the palace guard like me, and were always on their feet. A non-Eternian might think my Imperial Guard uniform a bit laughable, but it used to be the standard for women at the palace, especially in this climate, white bikini, a breastplate embossed with intertwined serpents, a metal leaf to protect the area below the waist.

I gazed out the window as a small pterodactyl ate a plum off a branch on a nearby tree, once again wondering about the stories.

Below me, I could see the domed roofs of buildings, a rainbow of flags, bright glistening futuristic structures. Peasants milled around below in colorful outfits, working, conducting business with merchants. Scaly one eyed birds fluttered and squawked in the branches of the gnarled trees surrounding my window, picking at the ripening fruit. Servants were already in the gardens, swatting them away, as they collected as much as they could. Creatures like that were the only thing I'd ever seen around that particular area.

I stared into the jungle beyond the castle grounds, watching the twin moons sink below the horizon to start a new day, wondering if the Sorceress were looking at me.

A floating red robe and a hat came drifting into the room. "Breakfast." The thing had a little boy's voice.

"Thank you, Orko," I sighed.

"Problem?"

"None that you can understand."

"Ohhh..." he acted like he did anyway, absently fidgeted with my porcelain dolls. _"Lady problems?"_

"Something like that." I said as carefully as I could.

To my absolute embarrassment, I saw a pair of blue hands wiggling from the sleeves of the robe. "Magic spell, be a champ! Relieve Teela of her men-"

I grabbed his hands as fast as I could. "Orko! No!"

I couldn't tell if he had blushed, but he should have. I know _I_ was red.

The bumbling oaf knocked over the music box Duncan had given me for Christmas.

Yeah, I know. _Christmas_ _on an alien planet_. The holiday hadn't existed on Eternia before Queen Marlena came to the throne, but we've celebrated it as far back as I can remember.

Anyway, things were getting super awkward, so I quickly made my way to the banquet hall before Orko conjured a giant tampon or something equally retarded.

Though many older parts of the palace are wood and stone, a great deal of the palace has that synthetic alloy that resembles gold. The corridor leading from my bedroom to the palace dining room, therefore, looks like the inside of an alien spacecraft, especially with the modern lighting sconces, but the armor displays, the statues of great historical figures, and elaborate tapestries still remind you that you're in a palace.

There were a few rows of doors before I got there. If I hadn't lived in the Eternian palace all my life, I would have gotten lost just going to breakfast. Years ago, maids would find me sleeping on the library carpet because I had given up trying to find my way back to the bedroom. And the bathroom..._maybe we shouldn't talk about _those_ mishaps_.

Our banquet hall is designed to hold a lot of people. A big area, tall golden walls, elaborate tapestries depicting naval battles, the mysterious He-Ro and the Preternian wars, some of them with magical threads that changed the scenes every five minutes. Dinosaurs and fire breathing dragons silently roared as they fought the ancient heroes of legend. I'd seen them all. The images started over at the beginning after the fifteenth image.

Servants stood by with our food. Father tried to make servant robots for the job, but they ruined the food, and the workers feared for their jobs.

The table was unnecessarily long. We very seldom had huge parties that required the whole thing. That particular morning, for instance, we didn't have our usual friends in attendance, so it left a lot of empty seats. It was just me, father, Orko, the king and queen, Adam, and that lazy tiger. We all sat on the far end, as undignified as it might seem. It was very...family-like. That is, if nobody was angry with anyone else. One time King Randor and his wife got upset about a woman or something, and they refused to sit next to each other for a few days. Dad actually built them a robot so the salt could be passed back and forth.

My adopted brother Prince Adam was already at the table, feeding scraps to Cringer. He had on his usual royal pastels, pink tunic, purple fur loincloth and leggings. Perfect colors to reflect his cowardice. The yellow striped green beast went great with his personality and his pants. Both allegedly gutless cowards.

Duncan, my musclebound adopted father, sat next to me. For once he didn't have on that gold robotic armor or anything, just a tunic and tights. Something about the suit being in the shop.

The kind always wore a great mantle, crown and a tunic, since he could get called to official government business at any moment. The queen, likewise, remained in her royal robes, even at breakfast.

Also, as usual, Marlena hummed strange little songs to herself, songs from her homeworld. I'd caught her doing this on numerous occasions. There seemed to be a different minstrel troupe for every song, and they all had weird names like The Beach Beetles, The Man In Black, Elton Joel, Princess Gaga, and some man named after candy.

Adam. I stared at him, not even looking at my pancakes and fruit as I shoved them into my mouth. (No meat products, Marlena was vegetarian).

He must have thought I was stupid, telling me all those ridiculous lies. He didn't know that _I_ was the bigger liar, since I lied about believing them.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. Whenever there was trouble, or a giant boulder to move, Mr. Pink Leotards would magically disappear and He-Man would show up to save the day. When I asked about Adam, He-Man would sneak off. They were never in the same place at the same time, and they both had a green talking cat.

This had been happening for years.

I'd stared into both men's faces long enough to know there was no difference. His acts of cowardice and weakness, therefore, annoyed me to no end. He could do so much better, but kept up the act just for show. I really wished he would just get rid of Adam all together and just be He-Man so our relationship could truly develop. I mean, we _did_ kiss a few times.

And then, in an ancient ruin, when he thought I wasn't looking, _I'd actually seen him transform._

That day at breakfast, I finally got tired of the game. When the servants were out of the room, I said it outright. _"Adam. You're He-Man."_

He spat out a mouthful of food. "What? No! I..."

I crossed my arms indignantly. I didn't even need to explain. _He and the others did._

"Teela," Father blurted. "This isn't..."

"It's fine, Duncan," said the king. "Everyone here is already in the know."

He and Queen Marlena exchanged conspiratorial looks. I think Marlena figured out He-Man's secret first, and she had divulged the information to her husband in bed.

Adam sighed. "_All right, Teela. You got me._ I had to lie to protect you and everyone else."

"From what?"

"Skeletor!" everyone but me said in unison.

I smacked my head. "And how is my knowing my so called brother's secret going to hurt anything any more than Orko, or that cowardly cat?"

"Hey!" the cat whimpered.

I frowned. "Sorry, Cringe. What I mean to say is that _I can hold my own in battle. I've actually fought against Skeletor by myself, _and_ I'm always here_, so I don't see why you had to keep this secret so long..._Especially since you already seem to have told the king and queen..._"

Recalling my encounter with the skeleton man unconsciously jarred something in my mind, but I couldn't figure it out yet.

Marlena glanced back and forth to make sure she wasn't being overheard by servants. "Teela, _you know Adam is our son_. _After what happened to Adora, we couldn't risk telling anyone._"

In hushed tones, she told me all about the secrets of Adam's sister and She-Ra, her alter-ego. It seemed someone had used magic to hide the memory of the girl and her history from just about everyone...Until recently.

"I'm...sorry," said Adam. "I guess I've got more physical courage than...emotional, sometimes."

Father frowned. "How long did you know?"

_"Awhile,"_ I sighed. _"Years._ I was hoping someone would have had the guts to say something by now."

I thought about the feathers and suddenly didn't feel like eating. I gave my plate to the cat and walked out.

I put on my armor and walked out of the palace, wandering the forest and climbing short without even realizing what I was doing. I had too much on my mind.

I soon found myself at the summit of a small mountain, staring at a weathered green castle shaped like a skull.

It's not exactly easy to get there, but I've had lots of practice. When I first encountered the place, I needed tough leggings to keep from getting skinned up on all the rocks and stuff as I made my way to the summit. But now I knew all the safe ways around the rocks, it wasn't necessary.

Its drawbridge was closed. Excuse me, `_Jawbridge.' _ I stood on the edge of a bottomless pit.

I shouted for the Sorceress, but I got no reply, so I called again, and waited.

I sat down on the edge of a cliff, staring into the depths. If everyone was lying about He-Man, I thought. Maybe they lied about the Sorceress too. The thought almost made me want to take a swan dive off the edge.

"...Teela, why do you come here?" a female voice said inside my mind.

"I want answers, and all I'm getting are lies and ridiculous stories. I need to talk to you about something. Please, open up."

The Jawbridge slammed down on a section of the cliff with a loud bang. I hurried across the huge thing, entering a large chamber built from massive stone blocks, worn and moss covered from the condensation of centuries.

The Sorceress sat on a throne on a tall dais in the center of this place, clad in a cape of white, blue and orange feathers with a bird headdress, her body covered in a feather bikini.

She seemed aloof in her high seat above the long staircase leading to her throne, but her face reflected an expression of weariness, sad longing, perhaps a bit of fearful nervousness.

I crept up the stairs, stopping about halfway due to the awkwardness of the whole situation. I climbed back down. "This is silly. Could you please come down here?"

The woman transformed into a falcon, flew down to me, changed back to a person.

She led me to a small stone table, gesturing for me to sit at a stone bench opposite her. "This is about Adam, isn't it?"

I sighed and sat down. _"Not really, but that's part of it."_

A glowing orb flickered warningly on a pillar nearby, but I ignored it.

After a awkward silence, I pulled the feathers out of my top, holding them up to the Sorceress's cape. I frowned when they didn't match. "I've asked you about these before."

"I spoke truthfully when I said they weren't mine."

I slammed them on the table. "But you never actually told me who or what they actually belong to. I mean, I find them in the shower. I find them under my blankets. I even find them inside my clothing sometimes. Duncan said it was you, and you say it's not. You can't both be right. Is there a male sorcerer spying on me when I'm in private? I just don't understand."

She pushed the feathers away. _ "They're yours."_

At that point, the whole castle seemed to spin around me. "Mine? Those are actually my feathers? But how? Why? Am I turning into some kind of..."

_Bird._ The thought startled me. For a moment I couldn't speak.

The woman sat down next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. Tears flowed down her cheeks. "Teela, remember that time I told you that _your mother is very proud of you?_ And you said _you never knew your mother, but you wished she could be just like me?"_

I nearly fell over backwards on the floor. "You're...my mother?"

"I didn't want to tell you because I feared Skeletor would use you as a tool to get into Castle Grayskull and destroy me."

I was astonished beyond speech. _ It actually made sense,_ even though I didn't want it to.

She _hadn't_ been curling up with me in bed. She _wasn't_ showering with me. Those _weren't_ her feathers in my underwear. Those feathers were _mine. _"So...the feathers. I can turn into a bird?"

"You've had a recurring dream, have you not? A dream where you have wings and fly with...mother bird?...A..._falcon?_"

It wasn't a dream, I thought. I could feel my little avian heart thundering in my tiny rib cage as I soared alongside her. The great void in my life seemed mysteriously filled and I was at peace with the world. I never wanted to wake up.

I felt my face getting damp.

There had been so many years of deception and lies! Yes, she had my best interests at heart, yes, she'd saved my life multiple times, but she really hadn't tucked me in bed at night like I thought. She really hadn't been there for me. Not like a real mother.

I stood up, confused, at a loss, unsure of my own identity. "That's why you taught me all that stuff. That's why the Spirit of Grayskull taught me remote viewing. That's why you promised to teach me magic. _Because you knew I could do it."_

_"I had complete faith in you, daughter. I still do."_

I thought about telling her not to call me that, but I remembered happily dozing beneath her wings and didn't say it.

"I need to think," I stammered, and then I stumbled off down a cave tunnel in a random direction, not even thinking about where I was going.

I suddenly recalled the words the...woman, _and_ the Spirit of Grayskull had said to me that fateful day: The throne was my `rightful place'. _He said I was the Sorceress._ I was told that I was the "Right person to sit on the throne", "_Exactly the right person._" The Sorceress said she couldn't explain it to me now, but "_Someday, I promise." _

Well, I supposed, it was better now than never.

I sat on a rock near a large bas relief snake and cried.

When I noticed the floating head, I stopped weeping.

The Spirit of Grayskull.

"Are you my father?" I asked the thing.

The head responded with a laugh that sounded more creepy than jovial. "No. I am merely the spirit of Grayskull's builders."

I felt ready to cry again.

"Your mother really wanted to tell you a long time before now. The secret has tortured her from within. But she kept saying that she wouldn't reveal the secret to you until the time was right. Sadly, _there is no right time._ She would have surely passed away before letting you in on the secret, had you not approached her about it first."

_"So she's as cowardly as Adam and all the others."_

"I know," I heard the Sorceress sobbing behind me. "I've even used spells to erase your memories."

She dropped to her knees, burying her face in her hands. "I'm a terrible mother. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me."

Something in me became unhinged. I got up, wrapped my arms around her shoulders. "It's okay, mom." It wasn't exactly okay, but _I needed this_.

We held each other and cried.

"So, is Duncan my real father?"

She chuckled. "No. Though if circumstances were different, I would have considered it."

"It's not Fisto, is it? Please..." I didn't finish. I would have said, "Please tell me it isn't," but I had enough of lies.

She visibly shuddered at the suggestion. "No."

Mother took a deep breath. "He...He..." she stammered, as if trying to come up with a story. "I refuse to lie to you any longer. Your father lives in the north mountains. His name is _Jad._ He was once a great warrior, but is now an alcoholic. It is said that he died in battle, but that was also a lie. We...merely went our separate ways. If you must seek him, I will not stop you, but I must insist that you learn how to use your powers first."

"Is he that dangerous?"

She slumped her shoulders. "No. I just want to spend more time with you, and prepare you for the time when I'm no longer around."

I laughed. "Okay, mom. How about we start with flying and transformation lessons? _I'm so tired of finding feathers in my clothes."_


	2. Chapter 2: Just Lynn

"I have always thought I wanted you as my mother," I said. "I never knew. _If I knew then what I know now..._"

"I wish I could have been a better mother to you, but..." the Sorceress shook her head. "Let us focus on the present. I am happy the truth is finally come out at last."

"You once told me that if I entered the walls of Castle Grayskull, I would never again be the same as I am now."

She gave me a saddened nod. "Come. There is something I must show you."

I did as she asked, following her through gray-green stone passageways.

"You are named Teela after me," mom said as she led me down a hidden hall in the castle. "My true name is Teela Na. I was fifteen when I first vowed to carry the mantle of Sorceress. I am but one of many who have served as guardian of Grayskull."

She showed me a row of statues adorned with outlandish ceremonial costumes, all vaguely zoological in design. Birds like hers, bats, some shaped like reptiles...

"I was pregnant with you at the time, which made things..._complicated_. When I gave birth, I didn't know what to do, _I couldn't leave the castle in my human form..." _Her features darkened. "So I transformed into the falcon Zoar and placed you in a nest, one conveniently located near the castle. You see, I'd been observing Duncan for some time. I knew him to be a trustworthy, dependable man, a perfect father for my child. As a fellow lover of nature, I knew he would travel a certain trail through the forest, and would be observant enough to notice a baby crying..."

"You erased all that from my memory, didn't you?"

Mom nodded. "_I had to._ But I'm sorry." She gestured to the corridor. "Long I have waited for the day to reveal this secret to you. A part of me would desire nothing less than for you to take my place. The other fears that this is too great a burden to be placing upon you, especially if that is not what you truly desire in your heart."

"I..." I stammered, gazing at a hooded cobra costume that caught my eye. "It's..."

"I know. It is a lot to ask. I do not demand anything of you, my daughter. This responsibility must be taken of one's own free will. Look!"

She showed me a glowing orb on a post. "Here, every five years, I renew my pledge to Grayskull, and here, at the next full moon, I could be destroyed."

Noting the questioning in my eyes, she continued. "The power of Grayskull weighs the purity of the heart. Those deemed unworthy are annihilated. If I step within the circle with impure intent, it could be my undoing." She suddenly looked grave. "But then I ask myself, how can I know if my heart remains pure if I stay here sheltered? How can I be pure, if I have lied to my daughter for so many years?"

"I forgive you, mom," I said. "Surely this place will...look favorably at the fact that we at least..._got that issue resolved, right?"_

She placed a hand on my shoulder. "Thank you. I feel a little more confident now." But then she swallowed. "I have no right to be asking this of you, but I must know. _Do you _wish_ to be the next Sorceress?"_

"Mom, I..." I sighed, rubbed my face. "Not now. I...can't. I..._don't think it's for me._"

Mom smiled. "It's okay."

"I still don't understand. Why could I never see you like this, _human_, outside of this castle?"

"I am bound by Grayskull's power. Upon leaving here, the power departs from me, and I become weak..._And Grayskull_...likewise..._becomes vulnerable to attack. _In the past, I have, once or twice, used the Crystal of Allenar to maintain my human shape outside Grayskull, but its power is only temporary."

I didn't like it, but at least now I understood why I never saw her walking around the palace or anything. I guess everyone has to grow to love their family members, perfect or not, even if it makes them sick to their stomach. Sometimes there _is_ real caring there, even if you can't see it right away.

"I guess that explains why you never come to my birthday parties," I muttered.

Mom gave me an apologetic smile.

"I heard you took other memories from me. _Adam had a sister_. Why was that important for you to hide?"

"We were facing a power ten times greater than that of Skeletor. We couldn't risk endangering anyone. I knew, one day, that Adam and Adora would become powerful enough to resist our enemy, but until then, we didn't want anyone attempting a foolhardy rescue attempt."

I spent the rest of the day practicing magic with my mother. I mastered changing back and forth from a bird form, expanded my existing knowledge of remote viewing with the magic crystal, and learned a few protective spells.

One time, as we were taking a spaceship to the planet Merrian, someone named Blade shot our vehicle out of the sky. A bunch of debris fell on me. I sincerely thought I was dead, but after I blacked out, I found myself standing naked among the damaged bulkheads, green feathers and my clothing scattered throughout. I thought the Sorceress had saved me somehow. I got dressed before He-Man or Duncan could see me in such a state. At first, He-Man thought I'd died because all he'd found was my boot. I told mother about the incident after our flying practice had ended. She laughed. Teaching me to materialize with my clothing on was the first thing she taught me.

Mom showed me how to throw phantom images of myself across the chamber. "So you know about He-Man."

I nodded. "You can only fool a person so long. _I know he's Adam._ And it makes me sick. He really needs to grow up and stop pretending to be Adam."

"It's not an act, Teela. The power of Grayskull allows him to be He-Man. It always departs from him when it's not needed. Hence the danger of ever sharing this information with outsiders."

This made me even more nauseated. "So he _really is_ that wimpy without the power?"

"Yes. Unfortunately. He has an...artifact that links him to the power. If-"

"It's the sword, isn't it?"

"Did you see that in the crystal?"

"No, it just makes sense. I've seen it happen frequently. When it's gone, we're always helpless."

"Oh, _you were never without help."_

I rolled my eyes. I have always sought out her wisdom, but sometimes she just sounded like a fortune cookie.

"What I mean is, you shouldn't blame Adam."

I swallowed. "I don't. It's just...the ridiculous lengths he's gone to deceive me."

"He only wanted to protect you and the kingdom."

I thought abut it for a minute. "What about his personality? Is all that his? Or did Grayskull..._improve him?"_

Mom laughed. "No, dear. That part of him is genuine." She gave me a warm smile. "_You love him,_ don't you?"

I frowned. For some time I pictured having this chat with the Sorceress, asking her advice about my love for He-Man, but now I wasn't so sure anymore. The deception was a turn off, but I really didn't have anyone else. There was a man with a really long neck, a rather slow guy with springloaded legs that liked to ram his head into walls, a freak with a changing face, a green man who talked to fungus, and Duncan's brother who liked to fist people with his giant gauntlet. _I _really _needed to stop hanging out at the palace. _ "I...don't know."

The sun set outside the castle windows. Mom had magically provided a lunch for me, but I decided it time to check in at the palace. Hugging my mom goodbye, I turned into a bird and flew out a window.

It saddened me to know what Mom couldn't actually leave the place, except in bird form, especially since I'd probably have the same fate when she left Eternia, but _someone_ had to protect the castle until evil left the land forever.

As I circled a mountain, contemplating all this, I noticed a white haired young woman in a bone plated purple bikini weeping nearby.

Evil Lynn.

At first it didn't register in my bird brain, but after circling her a few times, I recognized her. Even without the strange little hat, in all her butch haircutted glory.

Automatically suspecting she was up to no good, I perched on a bush and watched her for a moment.

It wasn't an act. She didn't even seem to notice me. When I first saw her, I considered reporting her to mom, but now I just felt sorry for her.

It was hard for me at first. I'd hated the woman so long. _We'd fought. Almost killed each other._ But I've seen people change. And the way that she looked...I just felt bad.

I flew closer, transforming into myself right in front of her.

It was then that she lifted her head and gave her characteristic evil sounding laugh. "Oh Teela, how wonderful it is for you to make me smile after all of this." She wiped her eyes. "You know haven't had a healthy laugh in a long time. Mostly it's been the drugs."

_"Drugs?"_ I gawked at her in surprise. "What do you mean _`drugs'?_

_"Please,"_ she groaned. "You couldn't have been that naive. How many times have you seen me laughing when there wasn't a damn thing funny? Why do you think I laugh over people's misery? You don't think I'm so heartless as to laugh simply because pain and suffering amuses me, do you? Even a grade school bully wouldn't be that callous!"

"Drugs," I repeated. I thought _I_ was on drugs, as much as my mind was reeling.

"Yes. They ruined my life. I've stopped taking them." She held out a hand, and it shook like a leaf. "See these withdrawal symptoms? I've been hiding from my pain so long. The stuff has made me a wreck." She wept. "I'm tired of all of this."

I stared at her like she'd grown a second head. I never expected anything like this from the most evil woman on Eternia.

I'd never seen the actual person underneath that proud, callous facade. My stomach contorted as I struggled to process the information. Although I kept telling myself she was lying, and not to be trusted, a part of me wanted to believe her, to actually do something help her.

"Evil Lynn," I stammered. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Please. Just call me _`Lynn'._"

She didn't want to be called Evil!

I never understood why she wanted to have that name to begin with, but dropping it after using it so long... It was hard for me to even say it. I kind of had to bite off the first part. "`Lynn'. What are you doing in front of Castle Grayskull?"

_"As if I didn't know where it was. I've been here enough." _ She shook her head. "I need the sorceress's help, but she won't let me in. There's no one else on Eternia that can possibly help me." I could hear a sob creeping into her voice as she choked out that last part.

I forced a laugh. I still didn't want to believe her. _"You? Need help from her? Now I've heard everything!"_

Tears rolled down her cheeks. "It's true."

"Drug rehabilitation?" It seemed logical enough.

She gave me a look like I was right, but shook her head violently. "No! It's about my boyfriend!"

Boyfriend. I could think of only one person who could even slightly fit the bill. The mere thought made me want to gag. _"Skeletor,_ you mean?"

She nodded. "_It's actually Keldor._ He used to be a good man." She paused. "Good...ish."

I pictured Mr. Skeleton Head petting puppies and playing Santa. The idea of him being anything other than a malicious creep seemed ridiculous. "So what do you need, a love potion? Birth control pills?"

That only made her cry worse. "Don't make fun of me, Teela." She clenched her fists. "You don't understand anything. I'm tired of being evil. I only helped Keldor do those awful things to be close to him. I hoped and prayed that deep within his harsh exterior was the man that once loved me, but I feel like I'm losing him every day."

She swallowed. "I know I'm not worthy to enter Grayskull, but I would go anywhere and give my very life if it meant getting back the man I love."

The way she kept going on about it made me feel like she was telling the truth. It made me feel even sorrier for her. I know I probably shouldn't have, but I did. "I'm...going to get help," I said with a lump in my throat. "This had better not be a trick."

"It's not."

Putting my trust in a woman that had betrayed everyone who ever trusted her, time and time again. I felt like a stupid fool, but I couldn't get over this nagging feeling of guilt unless I did something. My only hope was that mom was smarter than me, and would make the right decision when I asked.

I sent mom a telepathic message (one of the other skills I learned).

To my surprise, the gate to Grayskull opened, and mom asked me to bring her in.

The second most dangerous enemy on Eternia, _and mom invited her in_.

Lynn didn't have that magic staff I'd always seen her with. When I asked, she said she threw it into the bottomless abyss below the castle. _That_ actually made me a little more comfortable.

_A little._

Mom sat on her throne, looking imposing. I half expected Lynn to run inside the castle and steal some sacred weapon or another, but she remained shockingly well behaved. Apparently mother cowed her.

"Mom," I said. "She wants help with her boyfriend."

Mother looked unsurprised. "You wish to break the spell that turned your man into a walking skeleton."

"What!" Lynn cried. "How did you know?"

My jaw dropped in surprise. "He wasn't always a skeleton?" The fact she wasn't actually a necrophiliac made me a lot more sympathetic to her plight.

Mom waved her hand dismissively. "_I have investigated this matter for quite some time._ The curse can only be lifted by Keldor's one true love."

"What is the cure?" she blurted. "What must I do?"

Mom gave her a pained smile. "Patience, daughter. All will be revealed."

"Wait," I said. "Why did you call her daughter?" I hoped it was something like how people sometimes would call a friar `brother.'

Mom stood up. "I call her daughter because she is." She let out a troubled sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't tell you, but..." She started crying, staggering down the stairs. "There's a lot going on, Teela. I didn't want you to get involved in all this, especially with her involvement with Skeletor. I'd put everyone in danger."

Lynn choked down a sob. "She disowned me."

Another deception? I blinked away tears. If this were true, I had been trying to kill my own flesh and blood. All these years, and nobody told me. "How do you know you were disowned?"

Tears ran down Lynn's face. "I used magic. I reversed the memory erasure spell she cast on me."

"If you knew, why didn't you say something?"

She shrugged. "Teela, you already treated me like trash. What would be the point?"

I looked away, wiping my eyes.

_"I had to do it,"_ said mother. "You were with the wrong kinds of individuals. I couldn't have any part with your wickedness."

I suddenly felt sick. "Are there any other secrets you're holding out on me, mother?"

She sighed. _"An entire universe,_ I'm afraid. It comes with knowing so much magic."

I felt angry. I felt confused. It took awhile for me to regain my composure.

We seated ourselves at the stone table and had a good cry.

Lynn sniffed. "My father is the Faceless One. My last name is Powers. Teela can't be my sister."

"Correct. She is your half sister, so to speak. Your father's name was Faruk Powers. He fell into a chasm while fighting a frost demon. He now haunts Snake Mountain." She looked away, towards some high point along the wall. "The time for grieving is passed."

I never knew Faruk. I had the crazy urge to go visit his ghost, but the thought of visiting his abode made me nervous, frightened even. "So there was another man?"

"Yes, dear." She became wistful, her eyes taking on a dreamy faraway look. "Faruk was wild and reckless, but also kind and very compassionate. Come to think of it, he has a lot of similarities to He-Man." She pressed a hand to her chest, as if remembering Faruk touching her there. "That handsome face...those mysterious dark eyes...so much like a stage magician, in a romantic sort of way."

"Like Keldor," Lynn sobbed.

The mental picture made me sad. In fact, I started thinking that maybe Skeletor wasn't such a bad guy after all.

"Mom, what must I do to get my boyfriend back?" Lynn asked.

Mother stood up. "Daughter, ever since Keldor received that curse, I have kept a magic item in a secret place, to aid you in your quest." She bowed her head, sobbing a little. "Even though I disowned you, I never stopped loving you, daughter."

"You...sent He-Man to save my life that one time, didn't you? That time Keldor...was going to throw me to the Shadow Beast?"

She nodded. "Every life, even an evil one, is worth saving."

Lynn looked like she were about to say something, but then mom continued. "After all, I fear that I might be the evil one at someone else's mercy."

I couldn't imagine why Lynn would want to stick with a man that treated her like that, but in matters of romance, I knew I wasn't going to get a rational explanation. "You must...love him a lot."

Lynn only cried and gave me a nod.

Before all this, I mentally questioned her devotion, holding on to the belief that maybe this was all an elaborate act. But not for a second did I notice any contradictions in her behavior. I figured if she were acting, she was trying a little too hard.

"I've...seen you two _fight_ before."

She sniffed a little. "Every couple has a fight once and awhile. Ours was always about power. He's just too dumb to understand that I meant it when I said I wanted to _share_ power with him. _And_ maybe our children."

I frowned at her. `Sharing' evil power didn't make her having it any better.

_"Oh don't give me that look! _I'll have you know that every time it looked like I were trying to steal Keldor's power, I was really just trying to help him! I just didn't want you goodie-goodies to blab it around so he'd find out about what I was doing. _He has spies everywhere, and, to be honest, I still think a lot of your friends are wimps."_

"Hey!"

She just gave me an apologetic shrug. "I just call it like I see it."

Mom led her down a long gray-green cave tunnel to an object suspiciously resembling a bird bath. Lynn leaned over the lip, staring down.

"The Font of Guidance," mom told her. "The water will show the object of your quest when you place the most potent symbol of your love in its center."

I couldn't help but lean closer. Seeing an article of love from a woman like that would be like seeing a two headed goat.

Tears fell from Lynn's face, splashing down in the water. The liquid seemed to shimmer in response. "I can't. I...I got frustrated and threw it into a lava pit."

Mom stretched out her hand, offering her a shiny gold ring.

I stared at the ring with amused curiosity. It definitely looked like a gift a stage magician would use, festooned with sculpted playing cards and bunnies and doves. Cute.

More of Lynn's tears fell in the basin. "How did you-"

She smiled. _"Magic."_

Lynn took the ring, holding it over the water, but before she could even drop it in, the surface exploded with a brilliant light and pure white smoke.

"Your tears. They have more value than even that circle of gold."

Lynn dropped the ring in anyway.

The smoke turned purple, and we could see an image in the water, a giant black mountain carved into the shape of a giant serpent in a sea of lava. I'd been there, but never in the best of circumstances.

"Snake Mountain," said Lynn. "Is it there? Was it there all along?"

The waters shifted, a glowing circle appearing in a ring of stones.

"The portal to Hordak's dimension!" She scowled at mother. "But that bumbling musclehead destroyed it! There's nothing left of the thing!"

I remembered hearing about He-Man destroying something like that in Skeletor's domain. For awhile, we _did_ actually fight the forces of that Hordak character, and it almost destroyed all life on the planet. I shuddered at the thought of it still existing.

"There must be more than one," mother said. "Perhaps this is why he still has power over him."

Hordak, a terrible demon, had caused a lot of evil and suffering on Eternia before Skeletor came around. His connection to Skeletor had never been clear to me before that moment.

The way they described it, Hordak had been using Skeletor as a puppet.

Before, I had wanted Skeletor dead. Now I knew the real enemy. _Hordak_ had to be destroyed.

Lynn frowned at the water. "So where is it then?"

"Patience."

The water rippled. A dark cave with a wall obscured by a large rack of clubs and crude weaponry appeared.

"Beast Man! He's been hiding it there the whole time!"

Skeletor's dimwitted henchman, who frequently sent dangerous animals to attack our palace, apparently had been keeping secrets.

Lynn clenched and unclenched her fists. "So we need to get through that wall somehow and destroy the portal."

As if in response, the water rippled again, and the image of a strange looking gray woman with glowing red eyes, long flowing white hair, and a black and red dress that ended in tentacles shown in the water. The woman stood in a barren wasteland, seeming very sad and listless.

"Who is that?"

"That is Zoabela, Hordak's mother. It seems your quest is not as simple as merely destroying an enemy."

The oracle didn't show whether we were to kill the lady or talk to her, but I figured killing her might do the trick.

The image changed to a musclebound figure with a floating skull for a head, seated on a bone throne.

For once, he didn't appear to be scheming or plotting anything. Instead, he halfheartedly produced a playing card from the gloves of his blue bodysuit.

He caused the card to burst into flame, then, with a wave of his hand, it became a rose, then a tiny black bunny rabbit with luminescent orange eyes. I forced myself not to laugh.

When someone next to him snickered, he made the rabbit vanish. "What are you looking at!"

I chortled, trying hard to look serious.

Lynn smiled a little, then cried again.

"There is something of the man you love still inside him," Mom said. "_But his heart must be returned._"

The image changed to a lantern-like object, hidden on a shelf in an underground vault. The heart slowly throbbed, giving off an eerie red light in the darkened room. "The object you seek has been locked away with a key that currently hangs around Zorleaba's neck."

"How do we find this..._Zorlaeba_ woman?"

"The waters show you traveling through the Shadow Dimension. Horde Prime has imprisoned her there as punishment."

A chill ran down my back. I wasn't too familiar with the concept of the Shadow Dimension, but I heard that He-Man once stopped Eternia from being pulled into the place. It sounded like the land of the dead. It wasn't something I ever wanted to visit. "What's Horde Prime?"

"It is a force of evil, ruler of the Fright Zone and the lands of Etheria. I fear you have a very deadly challenge ahead of you."

"This is madness!" Lynn cried. "No one has set foot in the shadow realm and lived!"

Mom sighed and shook her head. "If it were easy, Ske, _Kaldor_ would have been restored to his former self aeons ago."

I could see the truth in those words. It seemed like all we did was fight Skeletor. Something _should_ have been accomplished by now. Nothing we had done so far had really solved anything.

"So be it." Lynn looked up into mom's eyes with an expression of grim determination. "I'd give my very life, if it meant bringing back the man I love."

I still couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was like some other person had taken over her body, and the wrong words were coming out. Someone I could almost be proud to call sister.

Mom gave Lynn a faint smile. "I always knew you had a good heart."

"You won't be going alone," I blurted before I even understood what I was saying.

"Teela? You? Helping me?"

It was too late now. I couldn't take the words back without being...her. "What...are...half sisters for?" Maybe that wasn't my whole motivation. I don't know. _I just felt like I had to do it somehow._ Maybe I just wanted to make up for all those times I hit her, I don't know.

Okay, so we _were_ good sparring partners. But still, I really failed her as a sister (_one time I even left her in a desert to die!_), and I wanted to make it up to her. More importantly, I wanted to end Skeletor's reign of terror once and for all.

Lynn hugged me. It was the most alien sensation I'd ever experienced, but I felt genuine warmth in it. "Thank you. You'll never understand how much this means to me."

I sighed, realizing I just signed my own death warrant.

_"Great things can be accomplished when you summon the aid of friends,"_ mother said.

"Are you my friend?" Lynn asked.

Mom fell silent, staring into the distance.

"That's a no, isn't it?"

"Lynn, I shall always be your friend, but leaving Grayskull unguarded could mean the collapse of all Eternia."

Mom leaned against a wall like all the strength had gone out of her legs. "Solicit the help of He-Man and his friends, and ask me again." She fought back a sob. "I need time to think."

Wow, I thought. Getting He-Man onboard with this? That's a tall order. But then I remembered the story about him rescuing Lynn, you know,_ healing her with the fountain of life_, so I supposed that anything was possible.

_"He-Man!"_ Lynn cried. "Why would I want that simple minded thug-" She frowned at me. "You really think he'd want to help me?"

"I...don't know. Maybe."

My mom slumped against a stalactite. "He-Man is stubborn, but his heart is swayed by a..._humble honest soul in need of help_." I knew she meant `_good soul_', but Lynn couldn't work that angle.

Mom turned away, lost in thought again.

We left the table, walking back to skull castle's mouth. As we approached, the Jawbridge crashed down, allowing us passage across the abyss.

"Where do we find this oaf?" Lynn asked.

I supposed she was used to speaking about people in insulting ways. Considering my feelings about He-Man at the moment, though, I didn't protest. "We'll have to go to the palace."

"I feel like I should wear a disguise."

"Mom said `an honest soul.' There has to be another way."

I snapped my fingers. "Wait. I got it. I'll put you in jail, and I'll bring He-Man down to meet you."

"Fine," Lynn sighed.

She clapped, and a pair of manacles magically appeared in my hands. "This had better work!"


	3. Chapter 3: Heroes of Eternia

The king's nature preserve surrounded the palace, miles of weird looking twisting trees in every direction. The king hunted there when game was in season. Sometimes me and Adam came with him, and we talked. As I wandered past `The Old Lady of the Forest' (an ordinary tree that resembled a person) and `The Lovers' (a pair of conjoined oaks) I got to thinking how guarded our conversations had been.

I pushed the thought aside. No use crying over spilled milk now.

As I neared the palace gates, I noticed a squatty figure in a helmet and armor approaching me. "Duh hi, Teela."

The man had no neck. His catchphrase: _"I'm not stupid, but I am kinda slow."_

I put up a pleasant, enthusiastic facade. "Hi Ram Man!"

Ram Man has occasionally made passes at me, but I just played them off. Even though I'd never want him to be the father of my children, he was still a nice guy.

I never told my opinions about him to his face. Sometimes I think Lynn is better than me because at least she was honest. Well, maybe not honest, but truthful about things that count. She always lets people know what she truly thinks about them, and I hardly ever do. Which is more cruel? Thinking someone loves you when they don't, or hurting someone's feelings in order to give them closure?

"I'm learning how to read," he said with pride. "Duncan taught me how to read the Princess and the Pea."

"That's great." I was actually depressed to see a man at that age being so slow to comprehend literature.

"I also know how to add and subtract. Multiplication is a little hard for me to understand, though."

I roll my eyes, trying not to think about Ram Man multiplying.

He adjusted his helmet. I wish he'd throw the thing away, or maybe use it for a waste receptacle. It did nothing to conceal his mental deficiencies. The top looked like a trash can lid, the front opened in such a way that squeezed his rotund features together in an unflattering way, and the plates blocked all peripheral vision. I've seen him without it, and he actually looks nice. I thought some day I'd hide the helmet.

"Adam wants to marry you. Did you know that?" He suddenly looked embarrassed. "Oops. I wasn't supposed to say that, was I?"

"It's okay Rammy. I already know."

"Duh, I think you'd be great for each other. Did you say yes?"

I was tempted to respond in the affirmative so he'd leave me alone. Mostly. "He...hasn't officially proposed to me yet."

"Oh." He frowned. _"Rules."_

Please go away, I thought.

It took him awhile to notice Lynn. "Duh hey! What is _she_ doing here!"

"She's my sister."

He didn't question this at all. "Oh. I guess that's okay then."

People cheered when I brought my captive through the palace gates. They thought I'd somehow bested Lynn, and was taking her to prison to await punishment.

The grounds of Castle Eternos are always populated by strange individuals. The day I brought in Lynn, I got greeted by a see-through robot, a muscular mutant with a head that changed faces, a winged bee man, a man made of moss, an elephant headed guy, and a bunch of other strange characters.

Mekanek, one of He-Man's allies, had a robotic extension that allowed his neck to extend to incredible lengths. I saw the shock on his face before anyone else could turn their head.

Fisto was there. Bulky guy with a giant chrome plated gauntlet and overdeveloped right arm. I'd asked mother if he were my biological father, but she visibly shuddered at the suggestion. With a violent shake of her head, she had told me, "No." But as a person who would never speak ill of anyone, she felt it necessary to follow it up with, "That is not to say that he isn't a nice man."

Royal guard members have a standard uniform. Women wear gold bikini like outfits like mine, with a helmet. Men like Duncan wear gold plate armor, helmet, loincloth and green leggings.

Lieutenant Dian, a woman who works alongside me in the guard, wanted to take Lynn off my hands, but I declined.

Adam had been outside, playing Badminton with the face changer. When he saw who I brought in, he missed the birdie. "Teela! _You've_ captured Evil Lynn?"

_"I turned myself in,"_ Lynn answered.

The prince marched up to us. "But...why? How?"

_"Long story," _I said. "Let's just say_ something's changed._"

Cringer, who had been lazily sunning himself near the Badminton set, got up and joined Adam. "Mm, Evil Lynn? _What are _you_ doing here?"_

Lynn smiled at the big cat. "Hey, cutie. _I'd pet you_, but..." She indicated her handcuffs.

Adam, who had been gawking, now stared at my sister even more. "Are you certain this isn't a _clone_ of some kind?"

Cringer sniffed my prisoner. _"She smells the same!..._Always was_ nice to me!"_

Adam...seemed to be.._reappraising her_.

This made Lynn smirk. _"I _do_ have a thing for animals." _

I gave her an apologetic look. "Look, `Sis, I don't like the idea of putting you in the palace dungeon, but until I explain a few things to everyone, I-"

_"I understand,"_ she interrupted.

Adam gave me a questioning look, but I didn't tell him anything. "Lynn, if you need anything, anything at all, don't be afraid to ask. I'll make sure to stay by your cell as much as possible."

_"There's only one thing I want right now."_

I swallowed, giving her a nod.

Her gaze caught Adam's, and, oddly enough, lingered there for a moment. When she looked away, I almost thought I saw a trace of a smile.

_Surely not! _I thought to myself.

Our prison lay along the castle wall, and down an underground corridor. The cells are tough enough to hold a pissed off yeti or a fire breathing dragon. Lynn wasn't getting out of there without my help.

I spoke with some guards, got her assigned to a cell. As the triple reinforced Coridite/Eternium steel door swung open, I gave my sister another hug.

"Stop," she muttered. "I'm not comfortable with..." But then she blurted, "Never mind, it's okay."

The guards were staring. Reddening a little, I waved them on, let them lock my sister up.

"Teela?" I heard my surrogate father saying behind me. "What?"

I took a deep breath. "Duncan, uh, can we go somewhere and talk?"

He paled. "What's this `Duncan' stuff all of a sudden?"

"Sorry," I stammered. "`_Dad_.' Look, uh..." I cocked a thumb at the guards.

Duncan cleared his throat. "Let's go to my laboratory."

`Dad's' lab was a museum of strange and interesting devices, ranging from the useful to impractical or downright dangerous, from magical amulets to futuristic space gadgets. The man never stopped inventing, even when a device came close to destroying the world.

Today's experiment was a machine that cooked sliced bread and toasted it while playing music. Not his best work, but not every invention is a winner.

Duncan pulled out a couple of stools not occupied by wires and pieces of equipment, gesturing for me to sit.

I could tell he wanted to tell me something, but wasn't sure how much I knew, or how much he _should_ tell me. "I suppose it isn't a secret that I'm not literally your father."

"No..."

He leaned back on the stool, crossing his arms. _"And you know Adam's secret."_

I thought about that one time we thought Adam had been buried in an avalanche, and He-Man was just standing around, lazily tossing rocks, pretending to search for his alter ego while everyone else was worried sick. When the rocks had been cleared, we actually thought he'd been kidnapped by Skeletor's scaly minion, Whiplash.

_"It wasn't that hard to figure out."_

"So...would you mind explaining how you managed to bring Evil Lynn into our dungeon without a fight?"

_"We're sisters,"_ I said.

Duncan's eyes got really big. "You're _what?_"

"The Sorceress is my mother. I don't know my father, but Lynn and I have the same mom."

He rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. "This _does_ seem to explain some of her motives."

"Really? How so?"

"Evil Lynn-"

_"Lynn."_

"_Lynn._.._she seemed to be avoid fighting you at times_. When she _did_ fight you, _her intent seemed rather to injure than to kill_...and then there were _some of her more poorly thought out schemes..._It was like she were just..._making excuses to see you."_

I frowned, thinking about it for a moment. His point seemed a lot more valid than I would have liked to admit.

Adam and his pet tiger strolled into the room. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"I was just telling Duncan that the Sorceress is my mom, making Lynn my sister."

Adam stared. _"Are you absolutely sure?"_

I nodded. "She's been keeping the secret a long time. As He-Man, you hang around her and that castle all the time. I'm surprised she never told you."

The prince scowled. _"No...It seems she's kept it as a secret from me too." _He reached for his sword. "Speaking of secrets, I suppose it wouldn't hurt if I showed you..."

Duncan waved his hands frantically. "_Not in here! _The last time you did that, the electromagnetic frequency reduced my whole inventory to inoperative scrap!"

_"So you use the sword,"_ I muttered.

"...Yes. It is the source of my power."

"It makes my nose itchy every time he does it," Cringer complained.

I told my companions about my plans to help Lynn.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Duncan asked. _"She's betrayed us more times than I can count..."_

"I've always believed there was good in her," Adam said. "My sister Adora always tells me _how powerful love can be against the forces of evil..."_

`Father' stood up. "Teela, are you comfortable discussing the matter with _our team?" _

I swallowed. "As long as it's not the whole palace guard, I'm fine with it. You can hardly keep a secret around Lieutenant Dian. Of course, before we begin, I need to ask Lynn's permission..."

My sister was a little hesitant, but still agreed to a full disclosure, provided we helped her.

In the privacy of an alcove, Adam allowed me to see how he changed into He-Man. The transformation was amazing, powerful bolts of lightning everywhere. He pointed his sword at Cringer, and be transformed into the mighty Battlecat.

Unfortunately, like with Duncan's machinery, the lightning had some unforeseen side effects. This time, it affected _me._

Before I could get away, a bolt hit me, and I transformed into a bird, squawking and flying around the corridor. I didn't know what was going on until I found myself lying naked on the floor, and He-Man was handing me my uniform. My whole body felt like it were vibrating. I decided not to hang out with him while he _changed_ after that.

Adam and his `Heroes of Eternia' gathered in the training room, discussing Lynn's problem, and our plans to help Keldor. Nobody liked the idea of going into Snake Mountain, or allowing Lynn to walk freely among us, but stopping Skeletor once and for all, _and peacefully, did_ interest them.

We ended up gathering outside her cell, rather uncomfortably allowing her into the hallway, though still in cuffs, we could talk without feeling threatened.

She laughed at our plans, telling us about the hidden entrances she used when Keldor was angry at her, a path through a swamp and sewer.

Once we'd gotten a good plan established (Duncan and Orko would provide a distraction with a bunch of fake soldiers) we got everything prepared.

We'd set off at nightfall, as Keldor generally expected He-Man to make his attacks in broad daylight.

A few hours later, we marched into the forest, sweeping the area ahead for hidden enemies with night vision goggles and magic snoopers.

I pointed to Lynn's handcuffs, which hadn't been removed. I pointed to them. "I think it's safe to take those off."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Duncan asked.

"Yes, dad. She knows enough to destroy us and all Eternia, but mom trusts her, and I trust her."

"As you wish..."

Before he could touch her cuffs, Lynn was throwing them aside with a laugh.

Rammy backed away. "Duh I just remembered I...had something to ask Mekaneck."

The long necked man's goggled face appeared from between the branches of a nearby tree. "Yes?"

Ram Man reddened. "Duh I meant...someone else." He slipped into the woods.

I sighed in relief.

It was a noisy group, well, except for us strong and silent types at the front of the line. I tried to get mom to join us on this adventure, but she, through our telepathic connection, said it would leave Grayskull vulnerable to attack, and He-Man in a weakened state, so she stayed where she was.

Behind me, I heard a familiar muttering sound, and branches toppling, obviously Moss Man messing around with a pine tree, probably pruning. The green guy always seemed to be picking up the rear, or rather, _slowing it down._ Our gardens and nature preserve are so tidy and picturesque because he does nothing but talk to the plants and fix damaged branches, so he kept doing that while we marched. Father and He-Man kept having to call him back to the group.

Nearby, Rammy talked to Fisto, the latter seeming to be very annoyed at the former's presence. The way Fisto clenched that giant metal fist, I figured he was tempted to knock the short guy to the ground. Arakna, Fisto's skull faced spider pet, likewise seemed eager to bite Ram Man's face off, but Fisto held his temper. For the moment.

Well, if worst came to worst, our elephant headed Spout Snout could spray them both like a fire hydrant.

Mostly, though, I heard the green tiger ahead of me muttering complaints about being tired and wanting buttered biscuits.

Me and He-Man kept silent because we had a lot on our minds.

The woods ended in a steep hill I used to go sledding on when I was a kid. No snow now. I wouldn't be able to sled without one of Duncan's inventions.

"I thought about bringing Half Track," he said. "But it can only hold so many, and the nature of this mission makes me thing we should try to look as unthreatening as possible."

Lynn laughed. "And bringing your whole army isn't?"

Duncan seemed to sink beneath the face protector on his gold suit. _"I've been thinking about that._ I believe the best plan is to separate into small groups and file into Snake Mountain a little at a time."

"Divide and conquer," Lynn mused.

"You got a better idea?"

Her silence indicated she didn't.

The village of Po lay below us, row upon row of quaint little houses looking like a scene from a Thomas Kinkaide painting.

As we marched down the slope, Lynn materialized a deck of cards from somewhere (probably her bikini or her boots, I don't want to think about it) and she instructed me to pick a card.

I drew a four of diamonds, and when she took it in her hand, the card transformed into a black butterfly and fluttered away.

That made me smile. I thought about how it may have been some kind of attempt to make up for lost time, but I decided not to make judgments like that without fully understanding the situation. I misjudged her too much already.

I looked up ahead. A glowing red dot flickered on the horizon, our first glimpse of Snake Mountain. A few miles, and we'd be there.


End file.
